The intestinal microbiome of infants and the use of probiotics

Flavia Indrio1, Josef Neu

  • 1University of Bari, Bari, Italy.

Insights

Probiotics may offer therapeutic benefits for common neonatal diseases like necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC) and late-onset sepsis (LOS). Further research is needed to fully understand their effects and optimize clinical applications in newborns.

Area of Science:

  • Neonatal Medicine
  • Microbiome Research
  • Gastroenterology

Background:

  • Probiotic use in neonates is increasing, necessitating evaluation of both benefits and risks.
  • Understanding the neonatal gut microbiome is crucial for addressing common infant diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the therapeutic potential of probiotics for common neonatal conditions.
  • To explore the application of probiotics in infant motility disorders, necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), and late-onset sepsis (LOS).

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of recent advances in neonatal probiotic research.
  • Focus on studies linking gut microbiota to neonatal pathophysiology and clinical outcomes.

Main Results:

  • Advances in microbial identification enable deeper understanding of neonatal diseases like NEC and LOS.
  • Emerging research explores the gut microbiome's role in neonatal intestinal motility and neurodevelopment.

Conclusions:

  • Probiotics show potential for managing infant motility disorders, NEC, and LOS.
  • Clinical application of probiotics in neonates requires further research to establish safety and efficacy.
Abstract

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